Sealing Clamp

ABSTRACT

A sealing clamp that prevents or regulates the transfer of liquids or gases through puncture holes in a vessel. A temporary sealing device to prevent or reduce water penetrating into a ship or other vessel with a holed hull by means of a clamp passing through the hole in the hull and installed and operated from one side of the hull and facilitates pumping out unwanted liquid back through the hole in which it came.

This invention relates to a device for the temporary sealing of an accidental hole in a storage container or a ship's hull at or below the water line whilst at sea in order that the ship may return to land or dry dock for permanent repair.

When a ship's hull is holed by an explosive shell or debris it allows water to penetrate the vessel which may lead to the ship sinking.

However, the conventional use of several square cut timber wedges hammered into the jagged hole can be time consuming and lead to a number of difficulties. Wedges may fall through the hole and be lost; several smaller holes around perimeter may permit several smaller leaks. To overcome these problems, the present invention proposes stopping the water without repairing or plugging the hole by means of a sealing regulator clamp that may be installed quickly by one man, the clamp which is attached to a hollow tube with threaded outer surface and is expandable after being pushed through the hole in the hull and drawn back against the outer face of the hull, the opposite end of the tube passes through the centre of the sealing pan which is fitted with a flexible seal around the open end of the pan, The sealing pan slides along the hollow tube up to and seals against the inner face of the hull by means of washers and wing nut on the outside of the pan, The inboard end of the hollow tube is fitted with a stop/regulator valve, The stop valve in the open position reduces the water pressure against the sealing pan whilst the device is being installed, Once installed the valve is turned to the closed position preventing water penetration. This valve may then be connected by means of a flexible hose to a non-return valve and water pump in order that water may be pumped back out of the vessel through the same hole in which it came. Alternatively it may be connected to a fire hose for use in extinguishing fire. Alternatively it may be used the opposite way round to stop oil leaking from a tanker into the sea or road with the valve transferring the content to another tanker. The device eliminates the need for plugging or repairing the hole. The device may be used in pairs or multiple units to accommodate elongated holes, splits or tears.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows the sealing pan unit, expanding clamp and the connecting hollow tube in the first stage of operation passing through the hole in hull stages of operation.

FIG. 2 shows the sealing pan unit, expanding clamp and the connecting hollow tube in the second stage of operation with the legs having been expanded by the rubber ball and the rubber ball being held pushed against the hole by the legs and flow of water.

FIG. 3 shows the sealing pan unit, expanding clamp and the connecting hollow tube in the third stage of operation with the sealing pan tightened up against the hull and ready for the regulating valve to be turned off or connected to a pump for pumping the water back out through the same hole in which it came or for use in fighting fires via a fire hose.

FIG. 4 shows the sealing pan unit with an alternative swivel clamp and a connecting rod with trigger grip tightening.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative flexible wire operated expanding clamp in the compact ready to deploy mode being passed into the hole in the hull

FIG. 6 shows an alternative flexible wire operated expanding clamp in the expanded by wire deployed mode on the outer side of the hull.

FIG. 7 shows an alternative flexible wire operated expanding clamp in the deployed mode showing the wire tensioning screw and regulating valve.

In FIG. 1, a sealing pan unit¹ includes a flexible seal² is located on the hollow tube³; the tube is externally threaded to accept sealing washers⁴ Metal washers⁵ and wing nut⁶. Open/close valve⁷ is fitted to end of the hollow tube³.

The external clamp unit ⁸ is made up of a fixed plate⁹ to which three or more extendible legs 10 are loosely hung by their lugs penetrating through holes in the fixed plate⁹ Within the legs¹⁰ a compressible rubber ball¹¹ is held compacted by the legs¹⁰ when the device is in the closed ready to deploy mode. When needed to expand a retaining tube¹² is pulled off the legs¹⁰ allowing the rubber ball¹¹ to expand, pushing the legs¹⁰ out. Once pulled towards the outer surface²¹ of the hull²⁰ the rubber ball¹¹ will be forced into the hole²² in the hull²⁰ by the flow of water²³ and fully or partially blocking the hole²² reducing the volume of water²³ from entering the ship. Alternatively the rubber ball¹¹ may be substituted for springs¹⁴ in order to expand the legs¹⁰

FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment in which the hollow tube³ is replaced by a solid bar²⁵ with a pivoting section²⁶ The wing nut⁶ is replaced with a trigger mechanism²⁷ with quick release²⁸ allowing fast locking against a seal gasket²⁹ and sealing pan unit¹

FIG. 7 shows a further alternative embodiment in which a flexible cable/wire³⁰ connects the sealing pan unit¹ with an expanding clamp³¹ comprising of one central bar³² with two end bars³³ pivoted at the ends of central bar³² The central bar³² and the two end bars³³ are held in a line, ready to deploy mode, until pushed through the hole in the hull. After pushing through hole in hull the flexible wire³⁰ is drawn back inboard which pulls the end bars³³ to right angles with the central bar³² and back until it comes into contact with the outer face of the hull. The sealing pan unit¹ is then pushed along the flexible wire³⁰ until hard up against the hull²⁰ and tied off at the end of the tensioning unit³⁴ fitted to the external side of the sealing pan unit¹ the tensioning unit³⁴ may then be adjusted to further tighten the seal against the hull. 

1. A temporary device to prevent or regulate water or other liquid from flowing into or out of a ship or other vessel with a damaged/holed hull by means of a hollow tube passing through the hole in the hull/vessel with clamping seals on both sides of the ship's hull or vessel and installed and operated from one side of the hull which facilitates connection to a pump in order to pump out unwanted liquid through the same hole in which it came or alternatively with the pump in reverse and connected to a fire hose in order to fight fires or transfer liquid to another vessel.
 2. A temporary sealing device to prevent or reduce oil or other liquid from escaping from a tank or other storage vessel which has been holed by means of a clamp passing through the hole in the tank or vessel and installed and operated from the outside of the vessel only or the inside only.
 3. A temporary sealing device according to claim 1 and/or 2 that does not require access to both sides in order to make a seal to prevent the flow of liquid or air/gas in either direction.
 4. A temporary sealing device according to claim 1 that may be used singularly or in multiples to accommodate elongated holes or splits.
 5. A temporary sealing device according to claim 1 that may be operated by divers to seal a hole from the outside of a vessel to prevent oil escaping and or transferring to another vessel. 